An update on available pain medications

Abstract

Pain is a complex interaction of sensory, emotional and behavioural factors. Chronic pain is among the most common reasons for seeking medical attention. In contrast to acute pain, where the goal is primary pain relief, the effective management of chronic pain is complex and not fully understood. Multimodal pain therapy is often required to treat chronic or persistent pain syndromes. These include pharmacological agents, physical interventions, behavioural changes and surgical approaches. Pharmacological interventions are the most widely used therapeutic options to treat acute and persistent pain.

Author Biographies

Elzbieta Osuch, Sefako Makghato Health Sciences University

Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics School of Medicine
Sefako Makghato Health Sciences University

André Marais, University of Pretoria

Specialist Clinical Pharmacologist
Department of Pharmacology
University of Pretoria

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